I have to admit – I barely use corn. Not because I don’t like it, but because it is so dominant, and you will always feel it’s taste if it is there, whatever is there around it. So in the rare occasions I do use corn, I give it its respect, and make sure it will get all the attention it asks for.

This easy snack began its life as leftovers of polenta. I added some mashed corn, chili peppers to balance the sweetness with some spiciness and crushed cashews to give it a cool, cheesy texture. Make sure to serve with a cool, light but spicy tomato salsa.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup fresh/frozen corn seeds (not canned)
2 fresh jalapeno peppers (or other green chilies)
1/2 cup cashew nuts, crushed to powder
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon coconut oil
salt to taste

Start with making the polenta. Bring the water to boil in a pot. Reduce to a low flame and add some salt. Slowly add the cornmeal while whisking constantly. Never stop whisking, or you will get a sticky volcano in your kitchen, and you don’t want that. Once the polenta is ready, mix in the oil and take off the flame.

Blend the corn in pulses until you get coarse mash. Mix into the polenta. Chop the chilies finely, add as well, together with all the dry ingredients. You can add additional surprising ingredients as well – cumin seeds, fresh cilantro, dried garlic… But you can also leave them the way they are, and leave the games to the salsa. Let the mixture rest and cool for around 2 hours.

When cool, you can start frying it. Heat oil in a pan, with wet hands, make fingers out of the corn mix and fry until golden. Serve while hot with a tangy salsa.

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